


×Three Years×

by rayskaskriivaa



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 21:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14433996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayskaskriivaa/pseuds/rayskaskriivaa
Summary: A bit hesitant, but unwilling to anger the warden, Ryoma reached for those papers and started reading. He mostly just eyed the letter that was personally pointed for him, but soon his eyes locked in a certain sentence. He frowned, as if not believing what he was reading.





	×Three Years×

**Author's Note:**

> This work is to be considered as a fan work in the universe of the game mode "Ultimate Talent Development Plan" you can access in Danganronpa V3. This is like a prologue of how Ryoma decided to go to Hope's Peak.

_It was my turn to do laundry. Dirty clothes and bedsheets go in, clean come out._

_That's how it works._

_I guess others have realised how big of a waste of space I am. Other inmates, older and three times bigger than me. Guess I'm good for one thing only._

_I can never turn my back on them when we share the laundry duty. This time wasn't an exception._

~

Ryoma was grabbed by his shoulder and turned around. The bigger inmate pushed him against the container that held the dirty laundry while still squeezing his shoulder in his strong grip. Two other inmates left their posts and came over to the scene, while the rest of the remaining people in the laundry room turned a blind eye. Ryoma couldn't believe someone could do something like that for a person who was in his position. He wasn't anything to anyone, no one cared. 

No, someone must've. Or then it was just pure luck. Ryoma Hoshi's name was being called from the entrance, the three inmates withdrawing away from him, like magnets repelling one another. Two guards and none other than the warden himself were standing by the door frame. 

'Come with me', told the warden. Ryoma didn't waste time; he walked over to the warden with quick steps, his legs trembling a little. He didn't even consider what the warden would want from him- not that he could say 'no' when being summoned.

He didn't really give a damn about Mr. Warden (though he didn't think bad of him either), but right now he'd rather be with him than those inmates. Little did he know, that this wasn't about his luck; it was his past catching up with him.

~

Ryoma sat on a metal chair before the warden's desk. The room was very plain, walls were painted an awful gray and there was a single wooden cabinet in the corner, which held different kinds of diplomas and other stuff you can boast about. On the desk the warden had a laptop, some photographs in frames, a pencil stand and other properties. 

Ryoma sat silently, looking up at the warden, who was sitting on a leather armchair on the other side of the desk. His eyes were keenly looking through some papers. 

Tick-tock, tick-tock. 

Ryoma felt like the warden had completely forgotten about his presence, he wouldn't even notice if Ryoma left the room. Or maybe he would. 

Then the warden turned towards Ryoma, leaned his elbows on his desk and reached the papers he held over his desk and towards the small boy. When Ryoma didn't reach to take the papers from the warden, the man gave a little sigh and lowered the papers down on the edge of his desk.

"I think you would like to take a look at them, Ryoma", the warden spoke with his soft voice, it almost made you want to puke. A warden of a jail shouldn't have such a soft, pleasing voice and as handsome face as he does. Maybe that was just Ryoma's opinion. 

A bit hesitant, but unwilling to anger the warden, Ryoma reached for those papers and started reading. He mostly just eyed the letter that was personally pointed for him, but soon his eyes locked in a certain sentence. He frowned, as if not believing what he was reading. 

"We invite you to join us... as the Ultimate Tenn-" Ryoma read out loud silently, but before he finished the sentence he lowered the papers down and glared at the warden.  
"Is this a joke?" he asked with a demanding tone. He knew better than to raise his tone for the warden, but he didn't think about that now. 

"It's not a joke, Ryoma. Hope's Peak Academy wants to invite you to their school", the warden answered him, gesturing with his hands while he spoke. Ryoma was frowning deep, he looked down at the invitation letter in his hands. 

He leafed through the rest of the papers; there was an orientation guide of the school as well as a refillable response for the invitation. You had to fill in your name, date of birth, family... Ryoma didn't even consider reading the rest of the paper. 

"You are young, Ryoma, and in jail. Kids in your position would give everything to get out and get an education", the warden explained, and Ryoma answered: "I am not the Ultimate Tennis Pro that Hope's Peak is inviting. I'm nothing more than his empty shell." 

The warden sighed and leaned back on his chair.  
"So, thanks", Ryoma started, placed the papers on the desk and ended: "But no thanks." 

The warden leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desk and crossing his hands. He looked down, but didn't really concentrate on anything. Then he lifted his gaze up to meet with Hoshi's. 

"Set that thought aside for a moment, Ryoma, and think about it this way; you would get an education. One you couldn't get in here, or in a normal high school. Hope's Peak don't invite just _any_ student. This is an opportunity you'll never get again, if you decide not to go you'll grow old and think back and regret for not filling up that letter and accepting the invitation." 

Ryoma looked at the warden from under his wrinkled eyebrows. He blinked and gazed down at his feet. A moment passed, and since Ryoma didn't say anything the warden did: "It would last for three years. You'd come back after the school's over, but Ryoma... _three years_. Three years, outside, where you don't need to sleep your eyes open and have eyes on the back of your head." 

Ryoma flinched and looked quickly up at the older man behind the desk. The warden didn't need to say it directly, Ryoma knew what he meant by that. So the warden knew how he was suffering because of the other inmates, and hadn't done anything about it? Was it about not wanting, rather than not being able to do anything? Ryoma would want to think that the warden just couldn't do anything, why else would he try to convince Ryoma to take the change and leave the prison? 

Three years, it's just a blink of an eye for a murderer like himself, who would spend the rest of their life in prison. In that sense, why would he even need an education, which would heavily be concentrating on his Ultimate Talent anyway? The Talent he used to murder people. 

Ryoma was troubled, and the warden could see it. He stood up from his comfortable chair, walked over to the other side and took the papers in his hands. He offered them for Ryoma saying: "Think about it, Ryoma." 

Ryoma looked at the warden, then at the papers. He sighed a little and accepted the papers. With that the warden let Ryoma leave, and the security escorted him to his cell. The warden didn't send him back to the laundry, which easened Ryoma's already troubled mind. 

~ 

Ryoma sat on his bed, the papers lying on his lap. The lights had already been turned off, but Ryoma's eyes got used to the dark quickly. He eyed the papers closely, he must've read the guide at least three times now. 

A loud cry echoed in the ward. An inmate had been brutally assaulted earlier today, and he had been wailing for hours. It made Ryoma think. He would be the one wailing right now, silently and by himself, had the warden not come to get him to see the invitation he received. He didn't care about the 'Ultimate Tennis Pro' part, he kept thinking about the three years he'd get to be outside from the prison. 

An escape. Even for just three years, he'd be able to escape from this hell. He would return, but... _three years._ Is three years worth it? 

Three years. New surroundings, new people, new place to sleep. Honestly Ryoma didn't care about any of that. To be able to live without fear such as this one for three years was tempting. When he does come back, he would be stronger, older. He could be able to take care of himself, prevent this from happening again. 

Appraising the up- and downsides, there's more to benefit from going to the school. 

~

Ryoma sat opposite an older man around the table, on which a game of Go was being played. He was having his once-in-two-weeks visitor in at the moment. The hall was full of inmates, who were being visited by family and friends. 

Ryoma placed a stone on the board, and leaned back against the chair.  
"You're not concentrating, sir", he said to the older man, who after a few second gave a questioning hum and lifted his eyes from the board to Ryoma.  
"You're not concentrating on the game, you're already losing", Ryoma told him again. The older man frowned in a sad way, alerting Ryoma that instant. 

"Ryoma. This is my last visit", the older man spoke, a certain strictness in his words. Ryoma felt like he had just been hit with a hammer to his guts. Ryoma's eyebrows dropped in disbelief, even though he had been waiting for this to happen for a long time. 

"... You really took your time", the man heard Ryoma mumble; "Was the choice hers, or...?" 

"We both decided on that, in a way... We are moving away, Ryoma. To another city. To start anew... She- is pregnant." 

Ryoma couldn't help a mocking smile forming on his face. He wasn't directly facing the older man.  
"You make it sound so easy; starting over..." Ryoma started, but he didn't continue. He respected this man and didn't want to sound mean and disrespectful; especially if this was truly the last time they'd see. He didn't want it to be the last thing this man would remember of him. 

Ryoma knew this new baby wouldn't be a replacement of any kind, he knew from the look on the father's face. But it still felt like cuts in his insides. 

The older man on the other side of the table sat straighter on his chair, leaned his arms on the edge of the table and told: "Ryoma. You were like my own son- still are! I care about you, I really do. But I've been thinking about things, over and over again, and..." the man shook his head, sighed after; "I hate it, but... I can't be in contact with you any longer." 

"So she did know", Ryoma asked, or more like noted to himself, where the man replied: "S-she did, but this is also my choice, not just hers."

"She thinks I am the reason why your daughter is dead- and she is not wrong."  
"Ryoma-"  
"I have never understood why you have kept in contact with me after all that happened. After... I got your daughter killed. You should hate me too."

"Ryoma, I don't blame you for the death of Kaori. You did what you thought was for the best, you tried to save her-"  
"I shouldn't have sent her away, I should've stayed by her side. At the very least she wouldn't have had to be alone when-"  
"You didn't kill her; it was the mafia. They killed her, they killed-..."  
"My family."  
"-and they almost killed you too. I have never blamed you of any of that. Please, believe me."

Ryoma lowered his eyes from the older man, from the game board, to his lap where he rested his hands. He was scratching off scab from a wound he had on his wrist. 

Neither of them spoke for a moment, maybe both of them thought that there was nothing else left to say. Ryoma didn't look at him, but he heard the father of his late girlfriend pull his jacket from the back rest and settle it on his arm. They both knew this was probably the last time they'd see, speak, do anything in each other's company, and it seemed to trouble them both. 

"Ryoma", the father started; "I spoke with the warden a little before I came. He told me about Hope's Peak." Ryoma moved his head a little, just barely facing the older man.  
"I think you should go. It's once in a lifetime chance, and for you it's even better."

Ryoma faced the father now directly, the frustration and self-hatred softening away from his face. He gave a little sigh.  
"Thank you, sir, for everything."

~

Just like that, the only person who cared even a little about Ryoma, was gone. Out of his life. And he was never coming back. 

After he had stopped thinking about his family, his girlfriend, and everything else he had messed up in his miserable life, Ryoma pondered about his choices long and hard that night. And, during the early hours of the morning, he had come to a conclusion. 

~

When the morning came, and the daily morning customs were out of the way, Ryoma asked to meet with the warden. In his office he filled in the papers, under the watchful eye of the warden, who then checked the application for Ryoma. Many sections were left blank; family, address... The warden was very kind to put himself as the contact person, as well as his own address. Hope's Peak knew about Ryoma's history and story, they would accept this procedure. 

The semester wouldn't start in a few months now, the waiting made Ryoma nervous. There were days he regretted his decision to answer the invitation, some days he couldn't wait to get out. Doubt and determination were in constant war inside his head.

During the wait for the semester to start, rumours started spreading in the television as well as the internet. Ryoma had no access to the internet, and just occasionally the television happened to be on the right channel when Ryoma was in the room. He didn't know much about the Ultimates that he'd be studying with, but he had heard a few names in the television. 

Ultimate Baseball Star. Ultimate Astronaut. Ultimate Martial Artist. Ultimate Moral Compass. Ultimate Photographer. 

Ultimate Yakuza made Ryoma feel very uncomfortable, and he hoped he wouldn't be in the same class with him. 

Still, amongst all kinds of different people that would attend the school, Ryoma didn't feel any better about himself. He didn't value his own life. To him, everyone else felt better, more important and valuable to the world. 

~

Ryoma arrived at the Academy a few days early, he'd get a head start with checking around the school and settling in. Not that he'd have much to settle with; he only had his papers, some of the personal property he had when he went to prison, and the school supplies he'd get during these three years. 

Three years. Maybe they'll turn out to be alright, maybe Ryoma wouldn't have to regret his decision. Maybe. 

Three years.


End file.
